Sonia Gandhi to campaign in Gujarat

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Last Updated: Fri, Dec 07, 2012 05:53 hrs

Ahmedabad: Congress president Sonia Gandhi is scheduled to address two rallies in poll-bound Gujarat on Friday.

According to television reports, Gandhi will speak at a rally near Gorsamba village in Surat district and another in Keshod town of Junagadh district. Both areas will go to poll in the first phase on December 13.

Gandhi's rallies come a day after Congress leader and former Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Narhari Amin joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He has quit the Congress party in wake of being denied a ticket for the upcoming assembly polls in the state.

Before the first phase of polling, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh are also expected to campaign in the state.

This will be the second poll campaign visit of the UPA Chairperson in the BJP-ruled State. Gandhi had addressed an election rally in Rajkot last month.

Meanwhile, welcoming Amin to the BJP, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi lashed out at the Congress party and urged the people to bring to an end 'dynastic politics' to strengthen the democratic structure of the country.

Addressing a gathering here, Modi said, "To strengthen the roots of democracy, it is important to end the family-oriented politics of the Congress Party."

"You all should notice the political approach of the Congress Party in these elections. It not only betrayed the common man but also its own party members. In democracy there are all sorts of decisions and political parties commit mistakes, even I commit mistakes, but no political party should backstab its own leaders," said Modi.

Modi further said that this poll would definitely change the direction and position of the Congress, as the people of Gujarat who have great vision will not allow the Congress to win the assembly poll.

Gujarat will go to the polls in two phases on December 13 and 17. The counting of votes will take place on December 20.